The Grave's Secret: A Second Chance

His Betrayal, My New Beginning

I had a secret: for three years, Liam Hayes, my brother's best friend and five years my junior, was mine in the dark. I loved him completely, even sacrificing career opportunities for him. When I finally asked for us to be open, I discovered his true intentions were to use me to make his childhood sweetheart, Sarah Jenkins, jealous. The devastating truth hit hard: during an accident where I broke my ankle, Liam abandoned me for Sarah's minor paper cut. Then, at the hospital, he publicly denied knowing me, claiming I was just "Ryan' s sister," before kissing Sarah intensely in front of me, shattering any illusions I had left. The humiliation deepened when I overheard his friends casually discussing his plan to propose to Sarah at an upcoming music festival, using me as the unwitting backdrop by having me sing backup vocals on the song he wrote for her. My world crumbled; I was nothing but a pawn in his manipulative game. The emotional wounds festered as I struggled to comprehend how someone I loved could be so cruel and calculating. How could I have been so blind to his true nature? The betrayal was too deep to reconcile. In a pivotal moment, knowing I couldn't endure another second of being his fool, I made a life-altering decision. I cut all ties, resigned from my job, left the city, and accepted an arranged marriage to a kind, stable man, Marcus Thorne, to rebuild my shattered life.

Entangled In His Master Plan

A pounding headache ripped me from sleep, but this wasn't my bedroom. It was a luxurious penthouse, and I was in bed with a man whose familiar scent brought a rush of panic: Ethan Hayes, my estranged step-uncle who' d vanished years ago. The shock was a physical blow. He was family, a ghost from a bizarre chapter of my life, and the memory of our night together was horribly clear. I fled, scrubbing my skin raw, desperate to erase his touch. I clung to the hope it was a one-time, anonymous mistake. But a week later, my mom called, buzzing with excitement. Someone was investing in our family business, paying off all our debts, saving us. And he was coming for dinner. My stomach dropped when I heard his voice. Ethan Hayes, impeccably tailored, stood in our living room. His eyes, dark and intense, held a spark of knowing amusement that made my blood run cold. He saw me, and he remembered everything. Dinner was torture. My parents adored him, completely oblivious to the suffocating tension. "It's always wise to remove unnecessary obstacles from one's life," he said, his gaze pinning me, a direct hit that solidified his intent. He was here to stay. Then came the new neighbor: Ethan. He bought the apartment right next door. He was at my coffee shop, outside my campus art building. Every polite refusal, every attempt to pull away, only seemed to tighten his web. I was trapped, and nobody else could see the bars of the cage.

Rejected By Family, Reborn By Love

Dr. Chen looked at my patent transfer agreement, concerned. "Ava, are you absolutely sure? This patent is your life's work." I was sure; it was my only way to shield it from my family. They saw my success not as pride, but as a resource for Willow, my foster sister, who masterfully painted me as selfish to my father, Richard, and brother, Ethan. My cherished belongings vanished, ending up with Willow, while my room-the one with the best light-was given to her for her "artistic sensibilities," banishing me to the cramped attic. Then came the day I signed the patent away. I returned home to a surprise party for Willow, celebrating her art grant. They had forgotten it was the anniversary of my mother's passing. My fiancé, Liam, usually my partner, stood by Willow, his arm possessively around her. My father, beaming, said, "Ava, perfect timing! Willow needs your help. You're going to give her the patent." I stared, disbelief chilling me. "It's a medical patent. It has nothing to do with art or business. And it's not for sale." Willow burst into tears, claiming Liam said I'd agreed to surprise her. Liam mumbled a pathetic "It's for the family." Then, Willow brought out a mango mousse cake-a deadly allergy for me. Liam, irritated, snapped, "Just for once, can you not make everything about you?" Willow, the kicked puppy, apologized, claiming forgetfulness, and turned to my father, who raged at me. "Look what you did, you ungrateful child! You will sign over that patent and apologize to Willow!" When I refused, he slapped and shoved me. I fell, my face landing squarely in the cake. Anaphylaxis set in immediately. I gasped for air, crawling for my EpiPen, as they watched me-my father, Ethan, Willow, and Liam-all stood by, watching me die. As blessed air trickled back into my lungs, one thought solidified: I'm leaving, and I am never, ever coming back.

His Death, Her New Beginning

The city air was thick with sirens, a constant wail that had become the sound of dread. Thirteen brutal murders had everyone locking their doors a little tighter. I never thought the fourteenth would be mine. The call came just after midnight. "Mrs. Miller? This is the police. There's been an incident at your residence." I knew before he said another word: David was gone. A cold, empty space opened up inside me, a vacuum where fear and relief swirled together. When I arrived, the street below our penthouse was a chaotic mess of flashing red and blue lights. Yellow tape cordoned off the building. A crowd of neighbors stood in their pajamas, whispering and pointing up. "I live here. Sarah Miller. My husband..." My voice broke, a perfectly practiced tremor. That' s when I saw him: Detective Mark Johnson, his face a hard, unreadable mask. He didn't offer condolences. He just stared, his tired eyes seeming to miss nothing. Then, a scream cut through the air. Everyone' s head snapped up. High above, on the balcony of our penthouse, a figure stood silhouetted against the night sky - Susan, my mother-in-law. For a heartbeat, she just stood there, a dark shape against the city' s glow. Then she leaned forward and simply stepped off. The sound that followed was wet and final, a sickening thud that echoed off the pavement. It splattered across the clean, sterile crime scene, a graphic, final punctuation mark. I felt a genuine shock ripple through me. My knees buckled and I grabbed the detective' s arm for support. Tears, real this time, streamed down my face. My husband dead upstairs, my mother-in-law a broken thing on the concrete below. It was the perfect picture of a woman shattered by tragedy. Detective Johnson didn't move. He didn't comfort me. He just looked down at my hand on his arm, then back up at my face. His voice was low and steady, cutting through my manufactured sobs. "You did this." I froze. The world seemed to stop spinning. My breath caught in my throat. "What?" I whispered, my voice hoarse. "Your husband. Your mother-in-law," he said, his eyes drilling into me. "The other thirteen. You killed them all, didn't you, Sarah?" It wasn't a question. It was a statement. A certainty so absolute, so unexpected, it almost knocked me off my feet for real. This was not part of the plan. No one was supposed to see past the grieving widow. Inside, a cold, hard knot of fury began to tighten. This man, this stranger, was looking at me and seeing the truth. Or at least, a version of it. "How can you say that?" I cried, pulling my hand back as if I' d been burned. "My husband... my... Susan... they're dead! I just lost everything!" I let my voice rise, pitching it with hysteria and pain. "Detective, have you lost your mind?" I demanded, my voice shaking. "I was at my sister-in-law's house. All night. Call her. Alice. Alice Brown. She'll tell you." He waved the other officer off. His gaze remained locked on me, intense and unwavering. "I don't need to call anyone, Sarah," he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "I've been on this case from the beginning. Thirteen victims before tonight. A city in fear. But now I see the pattern. They all lead back to you." His certainty was terrifying. It was a solid wall I hadn't expected to hit so soon. He wasn't guessing. He knew something. And in that moment, under the flashing lights, with the scent of death hanging in the air, I knew this was just the beginning. The game was on.

The Billionaire Heiress's Revenge

The first sign was a text message glowing on Liam' s phone screen. "I miss you. When can I see you again?" it read, from a woman named Sarah. I was sitting on the edge of our bed, waiting for him, clutching the phone that held a history of his secret intimacy. When he walked out of the shower, naked save for the towel around his hips, I didn' t scream. I just held up the phone and said, "Her or me, Liam." He chose me, deleted her number, and swore it was a mistake. But the silence in our penthouse grew louder, his touch became a habit, and his eyes looked through me, not at me. I felt myself disappearing, desperate and pathetic, despite being the heiress to a real estate empire. So, I proposed to him, clutching at a phantom hope at a charity gala, only for his forced "Okay, Ava. Let' s get married" to ring hollow. The wedding preparations were a blur of my efforts, conspicuously absent of him. My friends and family saw the pity in my eyes, but I pushed on, convinced the vows would banish Sarah' s ghost. Then, on our painfully beautiful wedding day, as the officiant prepared to pronounce us, a small voice cut through the air. "Daddy?" A little girl, no more than five, stood at the aisle's entrance, huge tearful eyes fixed on Liam. His face went ashen. He dropped my hands as if burned, turned, and ran-away from me, our vows, everything-scooping the little girl into his arms. Sarah stood behind her, a triumphant, sorrowful look on her face. He abandoned me at the altar, humiliating me for the world to see. Deep down, a cold clarity told me this was always a possibility, and I was not unprepared. Taking the microphone, I announced, "The groom has a prior commitment. Enjoy the food. Consider it a celebration of my newfound freedom." I ordered security and called my lawyer. They had robbed me of my dignity, but I wouldn't let them rewrite my story. It was time to fight back.

Victory in Obscurity

The cold, tiled floor of the dungeon pressed against my cheek. I could hear the sounds of a victory feast, the laughter of soldiers loyal to him. My husband, General David, stood over me, his polished boots reflecting the dim torchlight. "Worthless," he spat, the word hitting harder than the back of his hand had moments before. He accused me of driving Bethany, my maid, to suicide, believing every lie she whispered. His boot pressed down on the back of my head, grinding my face into the filthy stone. "You will die down here," he promised, his voice low and final. And I did, alone and broken, my last breath a ragged gasp of despair. I opened my eyes to the dazzling white silk of a bridal suite, my wedding day. The memories weren' t a dream; they were seared into my soul. I was Amelia, an elite special forces operative, now reborn, sent back to the moment it all went wrong. My fiancé, David, was now a charismatic tech CEO, but I knew the cruel soul beneath the expensive suit was the same. Bethany, my maid of honor, my best friend, was the maid who betrayed me in my last life. I heard her soft, breathy voice from the adjoining room, "David, are you sure about this? Marrying Amelia… she doesn' t understand you." Then David's low murmur, "Bethany, don't. Not now." And her whimper, "I love you. I've always loved you." In my past life, I had burst through that door, heartbroken and furious, playing right into their hands. This time, my hand froze on the doorknob; I simply stood there, listening to the betrayal I knew was coming, that had already happened a lifetime ago. A cold calm settled over me. There would be no screaming match, no public drama. I turned away from the door, my plan for simple happiness shattered, replaced by a bitter necessity. "Everything is fine, Marcus," I told my security chief, my voice devoid of emotion. "Plans have changed. We' re leaving. There is no wedding." As I walked away, the memory of the dungeon flashed through my mind: "You will die down here, and no one will remember your name." A grim smile touched my lips. He was wrong. They would all remember my name.

My Luna Became An Alpha After I Rejected Her

My Luna became an alpha after I rejected her : she was my Luna. I rejected her. Now she's stronger than ever and she has my son. Amelia's world shattered the day her daughter died-and her mate, Alpha Aiden of the Red Moon Pack, divorced her to reunite with his ex-girlfriend. Cast out, disgraced, and accused of poisoning her own child, Amelia was stripped of her title and driven from her pack. The next morning, her lifeless body was found at the border.They all believed she was dead.But she wasn't. Far from the ashes of betrayal, Amelia rebuilt herself-rising from rejection and ruin to become the first female Alpha of Velaris, the most powerful and respected pack in the realm. She also carried a secret Aiden never discovered:She was pregnant-with his son.Years later, fate brings them face to face once more. A deadly disease is spreading through the packs, and the only one who can stop it is the renowned doctor they thought had died. When Aiden sees the boy at her side-his eyes, his blood-he realizes the truth.He didn't just lose his Luna. He destroyed the mother of his child.And now, she's everything he's not-stronger, wiser, untouchable. Will she heal the pack that betrayed her?Will she ever let him near her heart again?Or is his punishment simply living with the consequences?

The Almighty Alpha Wins Back His Rejected Mate

Life was a bed of roses for Debra, the daughter of Alpha. That was until she had a one-night stand with Caleb. She was sure he was her mate as determined by Moon Goddess. But this hateful man refused to accept her. Weeks passed before Debra discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy brought shame to her and everyone she loved. Not only was she driven out, but her father was also hunted down by usurpers. Fortunately, she survived with the help of the mysterious Thorn Edge Pack. Five years passed and Debra didn't hear anything from Caleb. One day, their paths crossed again. They were both on the same mission-carrying out secret investigations in the dangerous Roz Town for the safety and posterity of their respective packs. Caleb was still cold toward her. But as time went on, he fell head over heels in love with her. He tried to make up for abandoning her, but Debra wasn't having any of it. She was hell-bent on hiding her daughter from him and also making a clean break. What did the future hold for the two as they journeyed in Roz Town? What kind of secrets would they find? Would Caleb win Debra's heart and get to know his lovely daughter? Find out!

THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: MARRY TO RIVAL'S SON

"Let's get married," Mia declares, her voice trembling despite her defiant gaze into Stefan's guarded brown eyes. She needs this, even if he seems untouchable. Stefan raises a skeptical brow. "And why would I do that?" His voice was low, like a warning, and it made her shiver even though she tried not to show it. "We both have one thing in common," Mia continues, her gaze unwavering. "Shitty fathers. They want to take what's ours and give it to who they think deserves it." A pointed pause hangs in the air. "The only difference between us is that you're an illegitimate child, and I'm not." Stefan studies her, the heiress in her designer armor, the fire in her eyes that matches the burn of his own rage. "That's your solution? A wedding band as a weapon?" He said ignoring the part where she just referred to him as an illegitimate child. "The only weapon they won't see coming." She steps closer, close enough for him to catch the scent of her perfume, gunpowder and jasmine. "Our fathers stole our birthrights. The sole reason they betrayed us. We join forces, create our own empire that'll bring down theirs." A beat of silence. Then, Stefan's mouth curves into something sharp. "One condition," he murmurs, closing the distance. "No divorces. No surrenders. If we're doing this, it's for life" "Deal" Mia said without missing a beat. Her father wants to destroy her life. She wouldn't give him the pleasure, she would destroy her life as she seems fit. ................ Two shattered heirs. One deadly vow. A marriage built on revenge. Mia Meyers was born to rule her father's empire (so she thought), until he named his bastard son heir instead. Stefan Sterling knows the sting of betrayal too. His father discarded him like trash. Now the rivals' disgraced children have a poisonous proposal: Marry for vengeance. Crush their fathers' legacies. Never speak of divorce. Whoever cracks first loses everything. Can these two rivals, united by their vengeful hearts, pull off a marriage of convenience to reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs? Or will their fathers' animosity, and their own complicated pasts tear their fragile alliance apart?

The Unwanted Heiress And The Cold-Hearted CEO

"You don't belong here. Get out!" Hanna, the rightful Wheeler daughter, came back only to be expelled by her family. Her fiancé cheated on her with the fake daughter, her brothers looked down on her, and her father ignored her. Then, she crossed paths with Chris, the formidable leader of the Willis family and her fiancé's uncle. "Let's pretend it never happened." Despite Hanna's hope to part ways, Chris insisted she be responsible. He threatened to reveal Hanna's true talents as an outstanding doctor, a brilliant screenwriter, and the brains behind a famous design studio, forcing her into marriage. Chris was once asked to protect someone. Destiny reunited them in tricky circumstances. He had planned to keep his promise and provide a safe haven, only to find Hanna was far from the delicate woman she seemed. She was witty and cunning...

He Thought I Was A Doormat, Until I Ruined Him

The sterile white of the operating room blurred, then sharpened, as Skye Sterling felt the cold clawing its way up her body. The heart monitor flatlined, a steady, high-pitched whine announcing her end. Her uterus had been removed, a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding, but the blood wouldn't clot. It just kept flowing, warm and sticky, pooling beneath her. Through heavy eyes, she saw a trembling nurse holding a phone on speaker. "Mr. Kensington," the nurse's voice cracked, "your wife... she's critical." A pause, then a sweet, poisonous giggle. Seraphina Miller. "Liam is in the shower," Seraphina's voice purred. "Stop calling, Skye. It's pathetic. Faking a medical emergency on our anniversary? Even for you, that's low." Then, Liam's bored voice: "If she dies, call the funeral home. I have a meeting in the morning." Click. The line went dead. A second later, so did Skye. The darkness that followed was absolute, suffocating, a black ocean crushing her lungs. She screamed into the void, a silent, agonizing wail of regret for loving a man who saw her as a nuisance, for dying without ever truly living. Until she died, she didn't understand. Why was her life so tragically wasted? Why did her husband, the man she loved, abandon her so cruelly? The injustice of it all burned hotter than the fever in her body. Then, the air rushed back in. Skye gasped, her body convulsing violently on the mattress. Her eyes flew open, wide and terrified, staring blindly into the darkness. Her trembling hand reached for her phone. May 12th. Five years ago. She was back.

The Unwanted Wife's Unexpected Comeback

On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."